


Colors of the Soul(mates)

by Milana16



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, It's so subtle I forgot I intended to tag it, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, This sat for way too long on my pc unfinished, also happy late birthday Oishi?, although it's more of a tool for fluff?, but it's a trigger so better stay safe, if that makes sense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 06:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milana16/pseuds/Milana16
Summary: In a world where whatever ink gets on your skin gets shown on the same place of your soulmate's, two idiots start proper conversation only some seventeen years after becoming each other's pillar of supports at like three.It's good they're meant to be together.





	Colors of the Soul(mates)

**Author's Note:**

> This is three days late in Japan, and two days late in here for Oishi's birthday, but also perfectly on time for the Golden Week, so. Enjoy this self-indulgent, unbetaed AU I've wrote for approx. a year, but could actually finish in like, three days. Go, Go, procrastination.

‘Are? Sensei, your soulmate must be a really artistic type.’

Blackhead looks down at his arm on which curving lines bloom, one after another, and smiles.

‘Usually they appear a little later, though. Whoever he or she is, my soulmate leaves their own schedule unfinished…’

‘They say opposities attract.’ Young woman chuckled, she never knew more composed man than her physician. He smiled at her, before retreating his hands from her arm.

‘Please, this time, refrain yourself from straining it so much.’

‘Yessir.’ She answered, resigning from the usual flirting with her more or less handsome physician; somehow, in the face of the writings appearing on the blackhead’s arm it just didn’t seem polite.

Oishi bid her farewell, before cleaning up his desk and stretching, his first break for the day turning out to be more colorful than usually, he mused, looking at his arm. The patterns were more than a little abstract and there was literally no telling what other person wanted to do by marking his skin like that. Oishi’s smile faltered; there were more red lines than usually, and they went across his wrist and inside his elbow in a more than a little familiar way, causing some of the darker thoughts of the doctor resurfacing. He shook his head and hesitantly reached out for his dark pen- but then again, different to the marks, he could wash his own message away before the break finished, so there was no harm done, right? And maybe that person really needed that interruption?

Oishi made his mind and took  the cap off, before carefully choosing the yet unpainted part of the skin.

__'Are you okay?'_ _

The painting abruptly stopped, and Oishi wondered if he didn’t overwrite his own memories onto his soulmate’s actions.

__'Sorry to be a bother.”'_ _

He blinked. The short sentence appeared in a different ink to a previous one, and he smiled.

__'That’s probably my line, to be honest. You okay, then?'_ _

He suddenly felt grateful for their system of writing, letting him fit much more of the signs on the small space of his skin.

__'Not really. But painting helps.'_ _

__'Want to try writing it out?'__ Oishi blinked at his own question; that definitely was too straightforward, especially for him.

__'Just a stressful day, it’s all. Really.'_ _

__'Ok then. Don’t worry about the drawings.''__ Oishi hesitated, before adding the last message. __’It's nice.'__

He saw first of answers fading away-his soulmate had to be washing his hand. He decided to do the same, but he let the last sentence linger. It wasn’t until almost end of his break when he noticed small answer to it.

__'Thanks for caring, soulmate >^-^<'_ _

His heart fluttered for some reason, and he smiled at the blue ink used by other side of this conversation (?), before picking up his own pen.

 _ _'No problem… soulmate”__ he added small smiling face next to it; due to the fact he was never using it, it came out a little sloppily, but the small correction done in blue next to it suddenly made it look like it was reaching out to another blue face. Oishi smiled with respect.

__“You’re good.”_ _

__“And You’re not :-P”_ _

He chuckled at the instant answer, somehow not even bothering to be offended at the straightforwardness of the message.

__'True. I need to go back to work but hope to see from you soon.'_ _

__'Same here. See nya^-^'_ _

It was cute, really. Oishi wondered why he didn’t gather his courage to try this sooner.

**

The next time he noticed red angry lines, he didn’t need to ask, and his hand almost flew to the pen.

__'You’re not okay.'_ _

The lines stopped appearing. Oishi slowly moved pen again.

' _I can’t meet you, but I can listen.'_

 _ _'More like read.”'__ Previous time it was a little rushed but nice writing, but now, it seemed like the hand writing it down shook; or maybe the hand written on. Or both. __“'t’s too long to write, though.'__

 _ _'Well then…'__ Oishi started carefully placing numbers next to each other. ' _ _You can call me, if you want.'__

 _ _'How do I know it’s you?”'__ asked red ink hesitantly. Oishi thought for a moment. His name would disappear as soon as he wrote it down so it wasn’t an option…

__“My name starts with O. Let’s go with it.'__

__“Then I’m E.'__ the handwriting seemed slightly calmer than before. __“Maybe I’ll use it other time. Thanks for offering.'__

 _ _'Didn’t do much, though.'__ Oishi protested, but stopped as few numbers appeared on his hand.

__'So you know who is calling.'_ _

__'You don’t have to-'_ _

__'It’s only fair.'_ _

__'Thank you'_ _

__'Hoi, that’s my line.'_ _

Oishi hesitated. ‘Hoi?’

__*_ _

They do end up exchanging few phone messages, but most of the time, skin talks, as he dubbed it, were just quicker. Eiji traced newest message, saying something about meat for dinner and being happy (which was a bit weird, messages from his soulmate looked like he was pretty uptight guy...well, most likely guy), and wrote without thinking.

_‘Wanna meet sometime?’_

When he was three, he and his siblings often doodled on their legs and arms, everywhere they could reach themselves and make it visible to the other side of the soulconnection. However, Eiji knew that his siblings goals were a bit different from his, because both his sisters and his brothers never had anything concrete appear on their skin. Lines or accidential dots of ink, when their soulmate was starting school, yes, but nothing else. Older Kikumaru siblings then doodled on their arms to get their soulmate to respond, with annoyment or curiosity, anything, that would be directed at them.

Eiji did mostly the same things, only that also ended up covering the splotches of color that appeared not from his paints. He often used gold and blue and green and any other color to counter ugly greys and blacks and only sometimes red so dark it might as well be black, appearing in the afternoons, when both him and his soulmate had free time apparently.

Eiji didn’t know why they didn’t start talking to each other through their skin by then, he only knew the colors suddenly stopped appearing come middle school. He worried for few days, because it could mean something happened to his soulmate, until accidential, badly scribbled character didn’t appear one day on his cheek. He did try to decipher it for hours, but when it disappeared, he just continued with his life, comfortable with the knowledge his soulmate must’ve been fine (if depriving himself proper sleep for the sake of studying, who normal does it anyway? Good thing he’s not really normal too).

It was when he started his career and stress from gaining so much recognition and fear of failure started piling up and crumbling his natural self-defence of attention-seeking character, that he remembered of the doodles and discovered meaning behind them.

‘Use it every time you think about using a knife instead.’ said elderly doctor his manager dragged him to, gently enclosing Eiji’s palms on a bright red marker for skin, and Eiji thinks __„So that was what you felt, soulmate.”__

This technique is more efficient than for most, probably because every time Eiji draws this first line, he feels as if he returned to his childhood, to painting with colors of rainbow over the grey sky of his soulmate’s thoughts, and he feels nostalgic, if he has a really bad day also sorry, because they didn’t know each other and he already was pushing his happy-go-lucky attitude on a depressed kid and who he was to do that since three?

But then his soulmate went and did the first step, reaching out to Eiji, and he couldn’t be more grateful for that.

_‘I do plan on meeting my soulmate ww’_

He’s also gotten better with emojis and all that stuff ever since they started exchanging messages, and Eiji smiles, a bit proud of his achievement from afar.

_‘-But if we plan anything like that, it’ll disappear, you know?’_

_‘I knooow’_ Eiji writes back, making sure to show his exhasperation. He gets back a row of grass. _‘Don’t you think it’s stupid? Ppl are connected for life and that connection-’_

Damn, he’s ran out of space. Inner arm it is then.

_‘-stops them from meeting anyway? Or knowing names?’_

_‘Maybe it’s to keep people apart for when they’re not ready.’_

Eiji frowned.

_‘But when they know they’re ready? There’s a chance they won’t meet at all that way!’_

_‘Guess you’re right.’_ came after a moment, then. _‘If we don’t use dates and specific names, it should be fine right?’_

 _‘But we might get it wrong that way._ ’ Eiji is usually the first to jump a crazy idea, but just this once (not really) he worries for details.

_‘Then we know we need to try later. We’ll get it eventually.’_

Or we could use phones, Eiji thinks but doesn’t write-his soulmate has probably thought of that and if his romantic soul demand a fated meeting set up through the destined connection, then who is Eiji to deny him? He probably starred in a drama with that plot, too...

_‘Guess you’re right. We’re soulmates ! >^-^<’_

_‘Yeah. So, what do we start with?’_

_‘Place?’_ Eiji bit his lip as the ink paled on the first letter, as if in warning. __„Don’t cross the border”__

_‘It paled for you too, didn’t it?’_

_‘Yeah.’_ Eiji feels like sulking for a bit.

_‘Then, how about the metal dog in front of metal underground?’_

Eiji snorts.

_‘I don’t think it will erase it if you just write metro, you know.’_

_‘I guess I got carried away hah.’_

‘ _And the date?’_

_‘Lover’s Game!’_

Eiji rolled his eyes.

_‘Day, you mean.’_

‘ _If I wrote it, it would probably get erased.’_

Their letters were getting smaller, but they were running out of skin to write on anyway. Eiji reached for the wet wipes he had near his seat. He already saw some of the neat  black ink on his hand and wrist smudge and disappear, so his soulmate thought about the same thing.

_‘It would be too crowded there then.’_

_‘It’s always crowded there, true. So the tree on the opposite station of the metro?’_

‘ _Besides I have shooting that day. Sorry.’_ he really is sorry, a spark of excitement for meeting a new person much bigger because it would also be a soulmate...

 _‘Sh-Shooting?!’_ the characters are a bit shaky and he can almost hear stutter in the voice on the opposite side of connection and snorts to himself. He wrote that in kana.

‘ _Drama shooting. I don’t kill people, at least not really :D’_

_‘O-oh.’_

Eiji’s smirk falls. They never really talked about what they’re doing for life, did they.

_‘It’s a minor role, I’m not a big shot, so don’t hope for that. Ne, O, what do you do for life?’_

_‘I-I didn’t hope for anything! I’m a doctor. More or less.’_

Eiji tilt his head. More or less?

The pause must’ve conveyed his confusion, because O elaborates.

_‘I work as a physician but I have certificate in therapies and such as well. Most people call me doctor anyway.’_

_‘So, I should call you O-sensei?_ ’ Eiji teases, and smiles at the straightforward reply.

_‘Only if I have to call you E-sama.’_

He chuckles.

‘ _No dooon’t, that’s weird!’_

_‘Right back at you.’_

‘ _So, we’re staying with letters. Until we get to meet at least.’_

_‘Yeah, let’s do that. Until we meet.’_

Eiji considers adding ‘if’ but drops it. It would be no fair to his soulmate to burden him with his worries of conflicting, busy schedules, constant trips and all other things that grow between them like a barrier.

‘ _At least we speak the same language.’_

_‘Eh. You thought about that too?’_

He stares at the reply, then at his hand incredulously. He had a tendency to speak his thoughts without thinking about it before, but that’s the first time he wrote them out instead. Oh dear...

He just hopes he doesn’t do that when they meet. Yes, „When” not „If”. He’ll make sure of it.

‘ _Yep! And we probably even live in one city! No travelling half the country to see each other!’_

 _‘That’s exciting, you know?’_ the second part take some time to appear, but when it does, Eiji’s smile soften. _‘We might have even met somewhere once in passing. Though I hope this next time will be longer. And not accidential.’_

 _‘It has an interesting meaning, when I know what you do for living.’_ Eiji snickers while writing his answer, trying not to show how fluffy he felt inside.

It was good there was no one to see him fail miserably.

_‘I hope that other meaning ALSO won’t happen, you know.’_

_‘Well, I hope neither happen. I want to know I’m meeting my soulmate.’_

_‘Same.’_

*

As it is with them, it is exactly the other meaning of the accidential meeting they end up being victims of.

Kikumaru Eiji is known for his open personality, and loved for his efforts and bravery.

He’s also hated for his success.

He wonders which circumstances caused the situation he was in right now, waiting sulkily on Valentine’s Day, near Tokyo metropolitan railway, in an enclosed spacev prepared for shooting for the paramedic team to be done with his fellow actors and stuntmen that got into the same accident mid-shooting.

His reactions were sharper thanks to his eyesight, making him one of the rare actors safely performing even more dangerous stunts without a body double. Thankfully, his senses allowed him to escape bigger harm this time as well- the pole they were filming a scene on has broke just before his feet, but he still was able to push away from it, landing on the ground instead of set-up open fire barrels prepared for the next scene’s explosions, avoiding a catastrophe.Although instead of proper tumbling he prepared himself for, a push from his co-star ended up misbalancing him, causing his feet to hit the ground at an awkward angle. He still was lucky, that’s why he was the one waiting for the reinforcements, while paramedics on site worked with people that weren’t able to avoid burns, and -ouch- one open break on the forearm that will definitely require surgical setting of the bone.

He was startled out of his thought by the urgent voice of his manager that was pulling a little confused young man („wow, hot”) long to where Eiji was sitting.

‘Sensei, Kikumaru Eiji, I need you to look at his leg, I’ll pay you everything I have just make him fine, or I’ll-’

The man made a knowing eye-contact with Eiji- a rare thing to do with a star, but the eyes were pretty green color, so he wasn’t to complain about it- and assured the manager that he’ll do everything in his power, and that no, he won’t need special treatment, since all his patients are important, and before he, the manager, is going to interrogate him, can he pretty please allow the doctor to have a proper look, since Eiji seems to suffer because of the meddling he, manager, does, surely in his best intention?

Eiji looked in fascination as the man calmed his neurotic manager down, before discreetly sending him away to check on this or that, before turing with a sigh to Eiji.

‘Sorry for the wait.’ without further questions -and, to Eiji’s disappointment, further eye contact- the doctor kneeled in front of Eiji’s iced foot. ‘I’m Oishi Shuuichiro, Kikumaru-kun, nice to meet you. I’m going to take a look now.’

‘Okay.’ Eiji felt unnerved. Something about deep, velvety tone of the doctor felt calming, but for some reason it only servet to unsettle him further. As if he was forgeting very important thing... ‘I can stand on it, but it hurts as hell, worse than any twist I had before.’

He figured he won’t try to hide behind his happy-go-lucky persona. He was too tired for that anyway, and hiding anything from the doctor was opposite to helpful. He still had that scolding message from his soulmate saved on the phone.

‘I see.’ Oishi experimentially touched his ankle. ‘Does it...?’

‘I can’t even feel your hands now.’ wait, why did he blurt that out? Was that because of the not-copletely washed away sign on doctor’s left wrist that reminded him he could have been meeting his soulmate about right now, had he not taken the goddamn minor role in, okay not so cheap, but definitely not a top tier movie just yet-

Wait a moment, Oish-

Doctor experimentially moved his ankle and flare of pain shot from the previous numbness it was in, causing Eiji to yelp and reach out his hand to grab at the wrist holding his leg.

The unwashed sign was ‘love’ from the ‘lovers’, from the talk they had some days ago, and was currently swaying in front of Eiji’s eyes. Or was just in two places at the same time.

What?

‘Sor-’ Oishi- doctor, a physician, therapist, O-sensei, called back from his free day for an emergency- caught a sight of their hands, next to each other. ‘...oh.’

Eiji blinked, but the sign was still there. And there.

‘Yeah.’

‘...I'm surprised you think of yourself as not a big shot.’ There’s a weird tone in Oishi’s voice. ‘You’re on every list of uprising stars, you know.’

‘I don’t check them.’ he answered automatically, and yes, his voice sounded weird, too. Muffled? ‘But I meant it when I said I don’t want either of ‘accidential’ meanings near our next meet. And yet here we are.’

Oishi gave out a weird sound, something between agreement and a muffled sob? Eiji felt something bubbling inside his chest in answer to the sound and seconds later, he was doubling over with hysterical laughter, but it was fine because the only one to see it was Oishi- __his freaking soulmate__ \- heaving together with him,  with only enough consciousness of himself to immobilize Eiji’s leg to avoid injuring it further.

He’s never laughed this hard in his life.

‘Seriously.’ Eiji breathed, sending them into another set of giggles. ‘Are you a psychic. We meet on Valentine’s, in front of metro station. Accidentially, even.’

‘Stop it.’ Oishi begged. ‘I want to fix your ankle as quick as possible. Even more now.’

‘What about equal treatment of your patients?’ Eiji teases, just a little weirded out at doing it not through ink on his skin.

‘I treat them all equally.’ Oishi stops checking his ankle only for a second to make eye-contact with him ( _ _„Yep, he’s hot”__ ). ‘I just want to take my soulmate out soon.’

He points behind himself, where the staff’s cleaning out the set.

‘And he’s going to get a doctor leave for the rest of the day anyway, so he’s probably going to be free sometime soon. Even if out means out of here and straight to rest.’

‘That would be a waste, since I finally have found you. Through the power of ruined joint but still.’

‘That’s what you need though.’ Oishi finished inspection. ‘It’s not broken, but twisted and badly bruised. We need to make few check-ups for torn ligaments, but after that, you’re to rest.’

He knows that scolding tone, even though before it came across only in letters...

‘Hooi.’

‘I’m not going to say no to accompany you to the check-ups though.’ Oishi smiled at him and Eiji felt his own mouth form a grin that spread over his whole face, roight with the sneaky plan to convince his manager to drive both him and Oishi over to his apartament for the tea __as a thanks__ , where they’ll finally be able to talk...

Well, probably only talk. His leg hurts as hell.

But, that head pat was worth it...

*

It was a month and a half later when Kikumaru Eiji officially announced finding his soulmate by throwing him surprise birthday party that included half of the acting circle ( _ _just closest friends__ ).

Eiji was lucky the one that caught him surprise kissing his boyfriend was Fuji Shuuske, already gathering pictures for wedding album for his best friend, and harrassing material for his potential spouse until potential doesn’t disappear (and maybe for even then...).

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, no Eiji didn't tore any of ligaments because I'm not that mean to my children, but they really only talked back at his apartament. I don't exclude cuddles, though. (Oishi's birthday, on the other side...)  
> Also, they originlly do plan to meet near Hachiko monument, if somebody didn't catch that in the text (sorry >.<), and both the 'row of grass' and multiple www's are internet slangs for laughter, like lol.  
> 


End file.
